You know, now that you say that I think it probably was a modern English version we read, but I was thinking of others we read in Middle English. I read it in Medieval Court Lit class along with the Sultan of Babylon and several other old Middle English Charlemagne "romances" so I get them all confused. I remember there was a lot of cleaving in most of them and much ridiculous violence and heroism and conversion to Christianity and such. The Roland I read probably was one of the ones we read in modern English.
Ferumbras him smote with mayne And mente to have him slawe. He smote as doth the dinte of thondir; It glased down by his sheelde And carfe his stedes neke asonder That dede he fille in the felde. Wightly Olyvere up-sterte As bacheler, doughti of dede, With swerde in honde him for to hirte Or Ferumbras goode stede.
Oh the manliness.... I can't take it ;) The poor horse though... carved his steed's neck asunder, ouch.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-03-20 01:09 am (UTC)The Roland I read probably was one of the ones we read in modern English.
Ferumbras him smote with mayne
And mente to have him slawe.
He smote as doth the dinte of thondir;
It glased down by his sheelde
And carfe his stedes neke asonder
That dede he fille in the felde.
Wightly Olyvere up-sterte
As bacheler, doughti of dede,
With swerde in honde him for to hirte
Or Ferumbras goode stede.
Oh the manliness.... I can't take it ;) The poor horse though... carved his steed's neck asunder, ouch.