THE SCENE: In a struggle between two armies on the frontiers of their civilizations, Charlemagne and the Emir Baligant engage in one-on-one combat. When the Emir gains the upper hand, a divine hand seems to intervene.
THE TEXT: Sweet France’s Charles is singularly brave. The emir is not afraid of him or shaken. They let their naked swords come into view, echange tremendous blows upon those shields that pierce the leather skins, two plys of wood, and spring the nails and burst apart the bosses. Denuded now, they hammer on their byrnies and kindle sparks upon their shining casques. This battle cannot ever be concluded till one of them confesses he is wrong.
The emir says: “Charles, consider carefully; take counsel, then apologize to me. You killed my son – I know that for a fact – and you make a wrongful claim upon my land. Become my vassal, swear your loyalty, then come with me and serve me in the East.” “That sounds extremely vile to me,” says Charles. “I owe no pagan either love or peace. Accept the law that God reveals to us, the Christian faith, and I’ll soon be your friend; then serve the King Almighty, and believe.” Says Baligant: “You preach an evil sermon!” With the swords they girded on, they now attack.
The vigorously powerful emir strikes Charlemagne upon his bright steel casque. It splits and comes apart upon his head – the sword descends into his silky hair and slices off a good hand’s breath of flesh and instantly exposes naked bone. Charles staggers, comes quite close to falling down, but God does not desire him dead or vanquished. Saint Gabriel has hurried to his side and asked: “What are you doing, mighty king?”
When he hears the angel’s blessed voice, King Charles no longer is in fear or dread of death. His mind clears and his energy returns. With France’s sword he smashes the emir. He bursts apart the casque where jewels blaze, then cleaves his skull – the brains come spilling out – his face, clear down into his whitish beard, and throws him down, a corpse beyond recall.
– The Song of Roland, 12th Century AD
