Otinel (G)

Qui veust oïr chançon de biau semblant ,

Whoever wishes to hear a song of fair seeming,

Si face paiz , si se traie en avant ,

Let him keep quiet and draw near,

S ' orra la flor de la geste vaillant

And he will hear the flower of the valiant story

Du fiz Pepin , le riche roi poissant ,

Of Pepin's son, the rich and mighty king,

Des . XII . pers , qui s ' entramerent tant .

And of the Twelve Peers, who loved one another so much.

Tant s ' entramerent , ce trovon nos lisant ,

So much did they love one another, as we find in reading,

Ne se grepirent onques en lor vivant

That they never forsook one another all their lives

De ci au jor que il furent morant

Until the day on which they died

En Roincevaux , où furent combatant

At Roncevaux, where they were fighting

Contre Garsile , le riche roi poissant ,

Against Garsile, the rich and mighty king,

Que li fel Guennes , le cuvers sodiant ,

For the wicked Ganelon, the base deceiver,

Les i vendi , ce sevent li auquant .

Sold them there, as some people know.

Cel jor méismes qu ' il furent combatant ,

On that very day when they were fighting,

En i morut . XXXm . et . VII . cent

Thirty thousand and seven hundred died there

A la chapele sont alez por urer aourer ,

They went to the chapel to pray;

La messe chante l ' abe de Saint Omer .

The abbot of Saint-Omer sings the Mass.

. I . hanap d ' or fit Karles aporter ,

Charles had a cup of gold brought,

De parisez le fist trestot combler ;

He had it filled to the brim with Paris pennies;

S ' offrande fet , et puis li . XII . per .

He makes his offering, and then the Twelve Peers.

Rollans ofri Durendal , son bran cler ,

Roland offered Durendal, his bright blade,

Pour la rençon i fist . X . mars donner .

For its ransom he had ten marks given there.

Après la messe , si vont tuit esgarder

After the Mass they all go to look at

Le Sarraïm qui vient au roi parler .

The Saracen who is coming to speak to the king.

Li Sarraïm vint orgeilleusement

The Saracen came in haughtily;

Où qu ' il voit Karle , si li dit fierement :

As soon as he sees Charles, he says to him fiercely:

« Dan rois , dit il , où est ore Rodlant ,

'Lord king,' he said, 'where now is Roland,

« Je te créant , sus mon Dieu Tervagant ,

I promise you, by my god Tervagant,

« Ainz qu ' il soit vespre ne le soleil couchant ,

Before it is evening or the sun is setting,

« Vous ocirai vostre neveu Rollant

I will kill your nephew Roland

« De Courouçousse , m ' espée la tranchant . »

With Courouçousse, my sharp sword.'

Et dit li rois : « Jhesu te soit nuisant !

And the king says: 'May Jesus bring you harm!

« Se truis Rollant , mort est et afolez .

If I find Roland, he is dead and done for.'

- Sire , dit elle , à la batale irez ;

'Sire,' she said, 'you will go to the battle;

« Mès de s ' espée Durandal vos gardez :

But beware of his sword Durendal:

« Se de la vostre bien ne vos deffendez ,

If you do not defend yourself well with yours,

« Ja par vos mais n ' ert Jamais n ' ert par vos tenue citez . »

Never again will a city be held by you.'

Li chevaler reguardent fierement Li chevalier les vont mult ergadant .

The knights look on fiercely.

Durement doutent les cops qui sont pessant ;

They sorely fear the blows, which are heavy;

De lor espées taille bien le trenchant .

The edges of their swords cut well.

François se jetent en croiez contre Oriant ,

The French throw themselves down in the shape of a cross, toward the East;

Grant p[a]or ont de lor seignor Rollant ;

They are in great fear for their lord Roland;

Durement prient le pere tot poissant

They pray earnestly to the Father almighty

Qu ' il le garisse contre le mescréant ,

That he protect him against the unbeliever,

Et qu ' il n ' i soit vaincu ne recréant .

And that he be neither defeated nor made to yield there.

A ces paroles vint . I . colon volant blant ;

At these words a dove came flying;

Karles le vit et tote l ' autre gent .

Charles saw it, and all the other people.

Saint Espirit sus Otinel descent ,

The Holy Spirit descends upon Otinel,

Le cuer li mue par le Jhiesu commant ;

Changes his heart at Jesus' command;

Puis dit . II . mos qui sont bien avanant :

Then he speaks two words that are well fitting:

« Rollans , dit il , trè toi là maintenant ,

'Roland,' he said, 'draw back there now;

« Ne soi quel chose me va ci conseillant ,

I do not know what thing is counselling me here,

« Qui m ' a mué mon cuer et mon talant .

Which has changed my heart and my will.

« Je relinquis Mahom et Tervagant ,

I renounce Muhammad and Tervagant,

« Et Apolin et Jovin le puant Jupiter le grant ,

And Apollin and stinking Jove,

[Et] puis desarment le curteis chevaler .

[And] then they disarm the courtly knight.

L ' une prent le halme , l ' altre le brant d ' ascer ,

One takes the helmet, the other the steel sword,

Del dos li treient le bon halberc dublier ,

They pull the good double-mailed hauberk off his back,

Ses plaies levent , si l[e] mettent culchier .

They wash his wounds and put him to bed.

D ' une herbe duce li donent à mangier ,

They give him a sweet herb to eat

Ke Deu méisme planta en sun vergier ;

Which God himself planted in his garden;

Seine at à nun , tel pot hum préiser .

Its name is Seine; such a herb is worth prizing.

Cil dormi tost , qui en at grant mester .

He soon fell asleep, having great need of it.

Quant il s ' esveille , si se sent tut legier ,

When he wakes, he feels quite light,

E plus fu sein que prune de pruner .

And was sounder than a plum on the plum tree.

Ore leissum ci del curteis Ogier

Now let us leave the courtly Ogier here,

Qui assez at de quank ' il at mestier .

Who has plenty of all that he needs.

« Et Belissent , la bele , l ' eschevie .

And Belissent, the fair, the slender.

« Jamès paien n ' amerai en ma vie . »

Never in my life will I love pagans.'

Respont Clarel : « Or ai merveille oïe !

Clarel replies: 'Now I have heard a marvel!

« Foul , as tu donc ta bone loi guerpie ?

Fool, have you then abandoned your good law?

« Enchanté es , si as béu oublie

You are bewitched, and have drunk a draught of forgetting

« Par quoi ces mires font avoir estoutie .

With which these physicians bring on folly.

« Ber , revien t ' en , si te reconcilie .

Baron, come back and be reconciled.

« Fai droit Mahom de ta renoierie

Make amends to Muhammad for your apostasy

« Et de l ' outrage que as sa loi guerpie ,

And for the outrage of abandoning his law,

« Et je te di vraiement , sans boidie ,

And I tell you truly, without deceit,