Stanza VIII Song of Roland
Stanza VIII Song of Roland
English Translation and Old French
The imperator is accomplished and bold and delighted, Cordres is captured and the walls trespassed, with his catapults the towers have fallen. Much grand plunder was given to knights. Gold and silver and expensive garments. In the city not a remaining pagan, none since destroyed, or became christian. The imperator is in a grand orchard. Assembled with him Roland and Oliver, Sansun the duke and Anseis the proud, Gefried of Anjou, the king’s banner carrier, and also there was Geren and Gerers, beyond this was, other than the good eight: from sweet France towards fifteen thousand. Upon white blankets(coverlets, pallium) sat the knights, at tables was the playing of games such as checkers: both the more wise and the frail, and lightly fencing were bachelors. On top of steps(stairs) next to a prickly pine upon a throne made fully of gold pure, sat the king, who sweet France holds. White at the beard and total flowering of head, beautiful to the heart(core) and the countenance proud, it is, that is trustworthy, not a uncalm shown. And the messengers dismount(from their horses) to the foot, he is hailed(saluted, salud) for love and for health.
Li empereres se fait e balz e liez,Cordres ad prise e les murs peceiez,Od ses cadables les turs en abatied.Mult grant eschech en unt si chevaler100D'or e d argent e de guarnemenz chers.En la citet nen ad remes paien,Ne seit ocis, u devient chrestien.Li empereres est en un grant verger,Ensembl od lui Rollant et oliver105Sansun li dux e anseis li fiersGefreid d anjou le rei gunfanuner,E si i furent e gerin et gerers,La u cist furent, des altres i out bien:De dulce france i ad quinze milliers.110Sur palies blancs siedent cil cevaler,As tables juent pur els esbaneierE as eschecs li plus saive e li veill,E escremissent cil bacheler leger.f.3rDesuz un pin delez un eglenter115Un faldestoed i unt fait tut d or mer,La siet li reis, ki dulce france tient.Blanche ad la barbe e tut flurit le chef,Gent ad le cors e le cuntenant fier,S'est, kil demandet, ne l estoet enseigner.120E li message descendirent a pied,Sil saluerent par amur e par bien.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/baud#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ligar%C3%A9
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fet#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/li%C3%A9#Old_French
https://www.anglo-norman.net/entry/fet
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/florir#Catalan
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abatre#Catalan
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tur#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chevalier#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/unne#Norwegian_Bokm%C3%A5l
https://lrc.la.utexas.edu/eieol_base_form_dictionary/ofrol/15
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/guarnement#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/devenir#French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ocire#Old_French
https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/seit seit interpreted is cognate with since and germanic antecedents
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ocire#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/verger#French
Imperator is used instead of emperor, because imperator is the most ancient version of the word. Verger is orchard. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lui#French
https://www.anglo-norman.net/entry/gunfanuner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_French furent was
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sieden#Middle_High_German
Out uit eight https://www.anglo-norman.net/entry/uit
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/seur#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/palais#Old_French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/palio#Spanish
https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/esbanoier to enjoy translated it as games makes sense in the context and gaman means to enjoy in Old Norse
Saive was not on English wictionary which is a good resource but is on French wictionary: https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/saive means sage or wise
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/et#Latin
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/veill Veill is Old Norse meaning frail, vindrent is another Old Norse term meaning wind direction, it was in the previous stanza. Some translate veill as old, but it means weak or frail. It does not mean old according to wiktionary.
Fencing https://www.etymonline.com/word/skirmish?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23619
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scrimmage
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legerity Leger was translated as lightly
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dessus#French
https://www.anglo-norman.net/entry/faldestol
https://www.anglo-norman.net/entry/mer_2 pure
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/demando#Latin entrusted
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/saluer#French
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/saluer#French
Estoet may relate to storm at sea <estor, estorm> noise, tumult, battle - so translate as uncalm with regards to face because enseigner means shown https://fr.wiktionary.org/wiki/enseigner